Door



1932- J. MITCHELL 1,872,489

DOOR

Filed Dec. 13, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l W ms 74 INVENTOR:

1932- J. MITCHELL 1,872,489

DOOR

Filed Dec. 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Iig- E7 Iig- 5'.

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JETHRO MITCHELL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO MOESCHL-EDWARDS COR- RUGATING COMPANY, INC., OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A. CORPORATION OF KEN- DOOR Application filed December 13, 1929. Serial No. 413,762.

My invention relates to doors, especially to that type of door suitable for gara es and warehouses, and for other uses 1n W ich it is desired to retain the door in unobstructing 6 relation when open.

It is the object of my invention to construct a door of sections which are arranged to be placed in substantially the same plane when closing the door and to be moved into neighboring planes when opening the door with the similar edges of the door-sections proximate to each other; further, to provide separable door-sections arranged to be placed in edge to edge relation when closing the door and to be moved successively into neighboring planes when opening the door.

It is the object of my invention further to provide separable door-sections and a common track therefor for closing the door and a plurality of tracks branching from the common track for respectively receiving the separate door-sections when opening the door; and, further, to provide diverting means between the respective tracks for diverting the respective door-sections into the respective tracks.

It is the object of my invention further to provide separable door-sections arranged to be placed in edge to edge relation when closing the door and in side to side relation by movements of the door-sections parallel with the respective planes of said sections when opening the door; further, to provide releasable connecting means between said sections;

85 and, further, to provide actuating means on respective door-sections for moving other door-sections into side by side relation.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation illustrating my invention as a garage door.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of my improved device, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the door closed.

Fig. 4 is a similar View, partly broken away, showing the door partially open.

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view, partly broken away, showing the door completely open.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail View, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an inside elevation of my improved device, partly broken away, and partly in section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged horizontal cross-sectional detail view, taken on the line 88 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section of my improved device, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 5, partly broken away.

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of the diverting portion of the grinding means for the sections of the door; and,

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional detail view, taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 3.

The wall 11 of the building structure comprises a door-opening 12 having side walls 13 and a lintel 14. Guide structures 15, 16, are at the respective sides of the door-opening. Each of the guide structures comprises an upright portion 17, exemplified as having a single track, and a portion 18, at an angle thereto exemplified as having a plurality of parallel tracks in superposed relation. The portions of the respective guide structures may be integral with each other or they may be rigidly connected by straps 19 bolted to the respective portions of the structure. (Figs. 3 and 4.)

The door 21 comprises door-sections 22, 23, 24, 25, separable from each other, in edge relation, so that the door-sections may be arranged edgewise in superposed relation for closing the door, and sidewise in superposed relation with similar door edges proximate to each other when opening the door.

The door-sections and guide structures are provided with complemental means for guiding the door sections from the upright guides into the respective branch guides, so that, as the door is raised, the respective sections of the door automatically arrange themselves in their respective branch guides for placing the door in open relation. Means are also provided for automatically assisting the respective door-sections into their branch the same therefrom.

The respective door-sections at their respective ends at the respective corners thereof comprise endwise extending axles 26. The axles of the respective door-sections 22, 23, 24 and 25, have wheels 27, 28, 29, 30, thereon. The axles extend from angle-plates 31 secured to the door-sections.

Some of the door-sections have guiding pins extending endwise therefrom. These guiding pins are shown formed by extending the axles endwise outwardly from the wheels to different extents, the extensions of the axles being shown at 35, 36, 37. The axles for the upper door-section preferably do not have such extensions.

The extensions or pins of the second doorsection are the shortest, those of the third door-section are of intermediate length, and those of the lowest door-section are the longest in the present exemplification. The lowermost axles of the lowest door-section may also be abbreviated, and be without extensions for reasons to be presently described.

These wheels are received in the upright channel 17 at each side of the door-opening, the side walls 38 of which form upright tracks. The said channels have bottoms 39. The axles are provided with shoulders 40. The wheels are held endwise between said shoulders and the bottoms of said channels.

The bottoms of these channels are also provided with grooves 43 extending endwise therefrom. These grooves are preferably as deep as the longest ones of the axle-extensions, so that the endwise extending ends of the axles or pins which extend endwise outwardly beyond the guiding wheels may all be received in these upright grooves.

The angularly extending portion of the guide structure is provided with a series of channels 45, 46, 47, 48, the walls 49 of which form tracks for the rollers on the respective door-sections. These channels have bottoms 50 complcmental to the bottoms 39.

These angulaily extending tracks or guideways are provided with diverting portions 51, 52, 53, 54, for diverting the door-sections from the closing positions of the door-sections into the open positions of the same.

The guides are shown provided with interruptions 56, 57, 58, forming diverting ridges 59, 60, 61, between the guides.

The bottoms of the angularly extending tracks 46, 47, 48, and the diverting portions of the same are provided with gIoOVes 65, 66, 67, respectively corresponding in depth to the respective lengths of the respective pins or axles 35, 36, 37, endwise beyond their respective wheels, for respectively guiding and receiving said axles and guiding the respec- I tive door-sections along their respective angularly arranged guides.

The guide 45 is not provided with such a groove because, as

channels therealong, followed by the entering of the exemplified, the axles of the wheels of the door-section 22 received in the upper guide do not extend endwise outwardly beyond the wheels thereon.

The curved portions of the angularly extending grooves merge into each other at the upper portion of the upright groove 43, and for continuations of said upright groove. The respective angularly extending grooves are of depths just suflicient to receive the respective lengths of axles complemental thereto, and the bottoms of the angular chan nels and curved portions of the same also preferably coact with the wheels for endwise relation between the door-sections and their angularly extending tracks.

The upper wall of the curved portion of the groove 67 is partially interrupted at 68 for forming a passage for the pins 35, 36, while causing the longer pin 37 to move therealong in opening the door. The upper Wall of the curved portion of the groove 66 is partially interrupted at 69 for providing a passage for the endwise extending pin 3 while causing the pin 36 to pass therealong for being received in the groove 66.

The upper wall of the curved portion of the groove is uninterrupted, so that the pin 35 passes therealong into the laterallyextending portion of said groove. The lateral wall of the curved portion of the guide 45 is not provided with a groove, the wheels 27 of the upper door-section 22 passing upwardly uninterruptedly through passages 56, 57, 58, between the diverting ridges and the outer and upper rail of the upper angularly arranged guideway.

The rear ends of the angularly extending channels may be closed by strips 74 secured to said ends.

Means are provided for automatically urging the door-sections to complete their lateral movements in opening the door. The upper end of each door-section acts upwardly on the door-section thereabove, to move i the door-section thereabove upwardly along the upright channel, the diverting means hereinbefore described guiding the upper portion of each door-section at the upward end of its path laterally into its lateral guide.

The upper wheels and endwise extending axles on the respective door-sections enter the diverting portions of the laterally extending and grooves respectively and move lower wheels and endwise extending guide portions of the axles into said laterally extending channels and grooves.

As the upper door-section is arranged more nearly into horizontal position, the proximate lower edge of the door above and upper edge of the door below move laterally away from each other. In order to further urge such door-section thereabove completely into its guideway, the door-section therebelow is provided with a contact portion, shown as an arm 78 secured to the door-section and extending inwardly therefrom and beyond the upper edge of the door-section, being preferably fork-shaped and provided with a roller 79 mounted on a pin 80 in bearings 81 in the ends of the fork. Each of the lower door-sections is preferably provided with such contact means at each end of the upper portion thereof.

The roller coacts preferably with a friction-part, shown as a lug 82. Movement of a lower door-seetion into its laterally extending channel causes its rollers to push upon the lugs of the door-section thercabove for pushing the latter completely into its angularly extending guides, the rollers moving a ay from the lugs during the further tilting movement of the door-section therebelow.

Each of the door-sections except the upper one is at its upper edge at each end thereof provided with an upwardly extending hook 8L which coacts with the lower axle at each end of the door-section thereabove for automatically causing each of the door-sections thercabove to follow the downward movement of each lower door-section in closing the door. This hook is so placed that when a lower door-section assumes an angular position betwen the upright channel and the angular channels, the hooks at the upper edge thereof tilt upwardly into range of the lower axles of the door-section thereabove, and act with a pulling force upon said axles, to pull the door-section thereabove with the movement of the door-section therebelow, for causing the door-section thereabove to follow the closing movements of the respective door-section therebelow.

hen the door-section therebelow shall have been tilted sufficiently for the hooks to engage the axles, the rollers 79 will have moved to positions in front of the lugs 82. so as to prevent movements of said axles out of range of the hooks.

This action takes place in sequence with the various door-sections, so that all of the door-sections are moved out of their laterally extending channels into the upright channel. This engaging movement of the hooks is aided by the curved formation of the guides between the upright portion and the laterally extending portions thereof and is further aided by the relation of the diverting portions of the guides therebetween.

Counter-balancing means are provided for the door sections. These, in the present exemplifieation, are instanced as flexible connections 88, 89, the respective lower ends of which have attachment with the lower portion of the lower door-section, as with lugs 90 on said lower door-sections. These flexible connections extend upwardly through the respective upright channels 85 formed by moldings 86 secured to the side walls of the door-opening, preferably along the outer sides of all of the axles, that is, the sides thereof away from the angular channels, so as not to interfere with movements of said door-sections into said angular channels or with the eoaction between the hooks 84 and said axles.

The flexible connection 88 is received about a pulley 91 jonrnaled in a fork 92 secured to the guide-member 15, the flexible connection continuing about a pulley 93 journaled in a fork 94 secured to the channel-member 16, and then continuing about a pulley 95, and anchored to a ring 96 secured to the channelmember 16.

The flexible connection 89 is received about a pulley 97 journaled in the fork 94, thence passing about a pulley 98 and anchored to a ring 99 secured to the side member 16. The pulleys 93 and 97 are independently rotatable about a common axle in the fork 94.

The pulleys 95, 98, are independently journaled about a common axle in a fork 101. A spring 102 has one end thereof attached to said fork, and the other end thereof attached to a ring 103 secured to the bracket 92. The spring is shown as a. helical spring of sufiieient strength and extension to counterbalance the door-sections. As the door-sections are closed, thereby increasing the weight upon the lower door-section, the spring extends to further extent for offering increased resistance, and as the door-sections are opened, the spring collapses, offering less resistance to the less number of door-sections sustained thereby. The spring thereby equalizes the duty required by the greater or less number of door-sections supported thereby.

Suitable locking means may be provided for the door-sections. When a single locking means is employed, it is preferably employed in connection with the lower door-section for bolting said lower door-section at its respective ends to the side members, as by oppositely movable bolts 104.. The door-sections are locked together by the hooks 84 received about the axles of adjoining door-sections when the door-sections are closed. If desired, separate locking means for each of the door-sections mav be employed.

In using my improved device, assuming that the door is closed, and it is desired to open the door, upward stress is placed upon the lower door-section, as by grasping a handle or handles 105 thereon, and applying raising force thereto. This causes movement of all the superposed door-sections which in their closed relation are arranged in similar planes in edge to edge relation, and in the present exemplification are in edgewise superposed arrangement.

The door-sections are guided in upward direction in the upright channels. The tendency of the door-sections is to continue to move in this direction. When, however, the upper wheels of the upper door-section engage the upper walls of the curved portions of the upper angularly extending channels, the upper portion of the upper door-sectlon is directed toward said upper channels, and said upper wheels are directed into the curved portions and the horizontally extending portions of said upper channels.

In the meantime, the second door-section from the top will be pushing the upper doorsection upwardly. This second door-section has laterally extending pins or axles at its respective ends located in the upright grooves 43. These axles pass through the interruptions 69, 68, in the curved portions of the grooves 67, 66, and are diverted by the upper walls of the curved portions of the grooves 65, for directing the upper portion of the second door-section away from the path of the lower portion of the upper door-section, whereby the lower edge of the upper door-section and the upper edge of the second door-section part, said door-sections being directed into their respective laterally extending channels.

However, the lugs 82 on the lower end of the upper door-section will be contacted by the rollers 79 on the door-section therebelow, which, in the further raising movement of the second door-section, raises the drooping end of the upper door-section and pushes the same so that it will be entirely received in the horizontal portions of the upper channels 45.

Similar action takes place between the third door-section and the second door-section, and between the lowest door-section and the third door-section, for directing each of the doorsections into their laterally extending channels, and urging completion of movement of each of the door-sections above the lowermost door-section into their respective laterally extending channels.

The lowermost axles of the lowest door-section are preferably interrupted so as not to extend beyond the wheels thereon. This permits the lowermost end of the lowest doorsection to be raised to at least the level of the lowest grooves and channels at the respective sides of the door-opening, by means of the flexible connections 88, 89, so as to place the entire lowermost door-section above the lintel 14.

When closing the door, the handles 105 are pulled downwardly, which causes downward movement of the lowermost door-section out of its horizontal channels and through its curved connecting channels into the upright channels. As the lower edge of the lowermost door-section is swung downwardly, said door-section tilts downwardly on its upper axles and upper wheels in the angularly extending channel 48, whereby the hooks 84 thereon are caused to engage the lower axles on the door-section thereabove, for imparting movement to this door-section thereabove in the further downward movement of the lowermost door-section, and causing the doorseetion thereabove to follow the lowermost door-section out of its lateral channels through its curved channels into the upright channels.

The hooks of the door-section just moved engage the lowermost axles of the door-section thereabove, which operation is repeated between the following door-sections, for pulling all of the door-sections downwardly out of their lateral channels and grooves through the curved portions of the channels and rooves into the upright channels and grooves or closing the door. The downward movement of the door-sections is resisted by the counteraction of the spring 102, so that the door closes easily and smoothly without jar.

The wheels may be made of rubber or be rubber covered to reduce noise.

Bolts 106 may be received through In 107 on the side members for fastening t e side members to the wall of the door-opening. The inner faces of the side members may be flush with the inner faces of the framing 108 for the door-opening. The rear ends of the angularly extending portions of the side members may be connected in spaced relation, as by means of spacer-tubes 109. Bolts 110 may be received through lugs 111 at the respective rear corners of said angularly extending portions, and be threaded into the threaded ends of said tubes. spacer washers 112 being received between the ends of said tubes and said side members for adjustably spacing the side members the proper distance apart. The side members are thereby secured rigidly together, producing a very strong structure which is nonvibrating for reducing noise in operation.

The bolts 104 may be operated respectively at the inside and outside of the door by handles 115, 116, extending from a rocker-plate 117 pivoted to the door and having operative eccentric connections with the bolts 104. A key lock 118 may look the bolts in closed positions from either the inside or the outside of the door.

My improved device is applicable as a garage door, warehouse door, a door for closing the openings of wall cupboards and closets, and openings of various kinds. While I have exemplified the door as comprising door-sections arranged one above the other, it is to be understood that the super-posing or arranging of the door-sections may be in upright or in lateral directions.

My improved device is simple in construction and arrangement, and it will be noted that all of the parts are self-contained and that no changes or operations upon the building need be made to attach or accommodate parts of my improved mechanism. All

the door-opening, with the side members spaced a proper distance apart.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of door-sections, guiding means at the respective ends of said door-sections, said guiding means including guides extending in substantially the same plane and a plurality of neighboring guides at an angle to said first-named guides, and automatic releasable connecting means connecting adjacent ends of proximate door sections, said automatic releasable connecting means comprising complemental connecting members having relative lateral movement between them for connecting and disconnecting the same.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of door-sections, guiding means at the respective ends of said doorsections, said guiding means including guides extending in substantially the same plane, a plurality of neighboring guides at an angle to said first-named guldes and diverting guides between said first-named guides and said respective second-named guides, and boosting means between proximate ends a of door-sections comprising normally inactive contact parts on said respective proximate ends automatically placed into coactive relation by lateral movements between said proximate ends for aiding movement of door-sections into said second-named guides.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a building structure having a door opening having side walls, of door-sections at the respective side walls of said door opening, guiding means at the respective ends of said door-sections, each of said guiding means including a common guide for all said door-sections and branchguides at an angle thereto for said respective door-sections, said branch guides extending at an angle to the plane of said door opening and diverting guides extending transversely to the plane of said door opening for said respective branch guides between said common guide and said respective branch guides, said diverting guides for said respective branch guides being difi'erent from each other in the direction of plane of said door-sections, and said door-sections having complemental guiding means therefor for automatic selective movement of said respective door-sections into said respective branch guides.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a door opening having walls, of door-sections including diverting means at the ends thereof, said diverting means for different door-sections being of difi'erent lengths in the direction of the plane of said door-sections, guiding means at the respective ends of said door-sections, said guiding means each including a common guide for all said door-sections and a plurality of branch guides at an angle to the plane of said door openings and to said common guide for said respective door-sections, said guiding means including diverting means extending transversely to the plane of said door opening for said respective branch guides complemental to said respective firstnamed diverting means.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of door-sections including wheels and pins at the respective ends thereof, said pins on different door-sections being of different lengths, guiding means for said door-sections, said guiding means including a channel and a groove common to said wheels and said pins respectively and branch channels and branch grooves for said respective door-sections at an angle to said firstnamed channel and groove, said branch grooves respectively of different depths complemental to said difi'erent lengths of said respective pins for selective guidance of said respective door-sections.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of door-sections, guiding means at the respective ends of said doorsections, each of said guiding means including a common guide for all said door-sections and branch guides at an agle thereto for said respective door-sections, normally inactive automatic means on successive door-sections acting on the proximate ends of previous door-sections at the angle between said guides for boosting said previous door-sections into said respective branch guides in opening the door, and automatic releasable pulling means between door-sections automatically connected by lateral movements at said angle for pulling succeeding door-sections by means of previous door-sections in closing the door.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of door-sections, guiding means at the respective ends of said doorsections, each of said guiding means including a common upright guide for all said doorsections and branch guides at an angle thereto for said respective door-sections, and normally inactive pusher-arms and hooks at the upper ends of lower door-sections, the lower ends of door-sections thereabove provided with complemental en aging parts for said pusher-arms and 1100 s respectively, said pusher-arms and hooks automatically movable laterally into coactive relations with said complemental engaging parts by angular positioning of said lower door sections at the angle between said common upright guide and said branch guides.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of door-sections, guiding means at the respective ends of said doorsections, each of said guiding means including a common upright guide for all said doorsections and branch guides at an angle thereto for said respective door-sections, usherarms on lower door-sections for tilting the lower ends of door-sections thereabove, and hooks on lower door-sections and coacting parts on the door-sections thereabove said coacting parts being normally out of line with said pusher-arms and said hooks when said door sections are arranged in said branch guides, said pusher-arms and hooks and said respective coacting parts arranged for being automatically connected at said angle between said common upright guide and said branch guides by tilting movement of the door-section therebelow and locking] connecting said door-sections when the 001' is closed.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a building structure having an opening and walls for said opening, of releasable door-sections, self-contained guide structures at the respective ends of said door-sections, each of said self-contained guide structures including an upright portion and an overhanging upper end overhanging said upright portion at an angle thereto, said upright portion provided with a common upright guide for all said doorsections and said overhanging upper end provided with branch guides for said respective door-sections, said branch guides being at an angle to said upright guide and in overhanging relation thereto, spacing means between said overhanging ends of said guide structures spacing said overhan ing ends apart for proper guide relations etween the respective ends of said door-sections and said branch guides, means securing together said guide structures and said spacing means fixing said overhanging ends of said guide structures in such spaced-apart relation, and counterbalancing means for said door-sections having connections solely with said door-sections and said uide structures and parts connected therewit and independent of said building structure constituting the device a self-contained structure independent of said building structure, and securing means adjacent said common upright guides connecting said guide structures at said opening to the building structure.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a building structure having an opening and walls for said opening, of releasable door-sections, self-contained guide structures at the respective ends of said door-sections, each of said self-contained guide structures including an upright portion and an overhanging upper end overhanging said upright portion at an angle thereto, said upright portion provided with a common upright guide for all said doorsections and said overhanging upper end provided with branch guides for said respective door-sections at an angle to and overhanging said common upright uide, said branch guides including curved portions proximate to said upright guide for diverting said respective door-sections between said common upright guide and said respective branch guides, spacing means between said overhanging ends of said guide structures spacing said overhanging ends apart for' proper uide relations between the res ective ends 0 said door-sections and said ranch guides, means securing together said spacin means and said guide structures fixing said guide structures in such spaced relation, and counterbalancing means for said door-sections including flexible connections, pulleys and a counterbalancing sprin for said flexible connections, said flexib e connections, pulleys and spring having connections solely with said door-sections and said respective guide structures and parts connected therewith and independent of said building structure, constituting the device a self-contained structure independent of the building structure, and securing means adjacent said common upright gmdes connecting said uide structures at said opening to the bui dingv structure.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JETHRO MITCHELL. 

